Local Goa News

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Better help designed for juvenile victims

Panaji: Goa government's victim assistance unit (VAU) has proposed to the directorate of women and child to implement a 'going-to-court' programme, which will assist childrenvictims and witnesseswho come to children's court and juvenile justice board. This came after a report by VAU revealed that there are more children coming in to contact with police in cases of child abuse as witnesses as well.
Speaking to TOI, VAU child protection coordinator Emidio Pinho said, "As more and more kids are coming in contact with police, we have proposed to implement "going to court" programme to directorate of women and child. So far, VAU has trained 30 law students and they would be attached to the juvenile justice boards north and south, and to the children's court." Pinho added that the job of these students would be to familiarize with the court proceedings once the children are brought to the courts.
The VAU report states that boys also are at high risk, when it comes to child abuse.
The report stated that the highest number of children are coming in contact with police is in sexual abuse cases followed by cases of physical abuse and kidnapping.
It also revealed 102 children came in to contact with police, who were less than 10 years of age. In the 11-15 age group, 195 children and in the 16-18 age group, 184 children had to make contact with the police. Out of 485 children, 283 were girls and 202 were boys.
The victim assistance unit was set up in April 2014 and has completed two years of providing 24X7 service for children.